A great set from Los Fantasticos. It was a hot and steamy night both outside and inside. The sound created by these guys was just fabulous. Los Fantasticos, based in Brighton, have a very individual style. I can only make one comparison and that is with a Spanish outfit called Guadalupe Plata. They have a two guitar line up featuring rich twang from Tim Self on a beautiful purple Gretsch and the grab your surf board playing of Django Deadman. A great bassist Paul Lawrence and drummer Abe Mohsin complete the line up. Tim and Django play together so well, they create smooth, surf and rock n roll across the set. No vocals required as the wonderful music says everything, and I do mean everything.

The songs took you to a sun soaked beach, or a vast empty desert with a cactus or two for company and some tumbleweed blowing across the vista. I used to have, as a kid, a vinyl album of cowboy movie themes, done by Geoff Love, and some of what I heard and listened to would have fitted that album beautifully.

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Every song they performed displayed great musicianship across the band. All beautifully put together with mesmirising production values. Think at times of the old Spaghetti Western instrumental music. Think of the Lone Rider crossing a soulless desert and you are half way there! His eyes peering at you as he draws in closer from under his hat – I hope you are getting it! This really is an experience of music mixed up and put back together to bring an extraordinary sound. Tremolo crescendos and haunting trumpet breaks with a superb layer of colour and sound from bass and drums.

A Video

Kick off your boots, grab a tequilla, soak up the sun and have a listen to a mix of some of the tracks played Los Fantasticos. A great atmospheric set enjoyed by the crowd at Lewes Con Club.

They have released 4 albums to date and are, as Django explained, working on a fifth and are about to head off to gig at the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Livorno, Italy, the world’s largest festival of instrumental surf music. Just go see them and let them take you away on a Morricone mariachi tequila fueled trip. I have to go and get the sand out of my boots……

The Space Agency

The Space Agency

The Space Agency

Special guests and opening act on the night at Lewes Con Club was The Space Agency.

Genre
Psychedelic Instrumental

Band Members
Simon Jones
Hiromi Jones
Andrew Bowler

Formed in 2002 by Simon Jones from England, Hiromi Jones from Japan & Andrew Bowler from Wales, they have released 4 albums of their unique, out of this world Instrumental Sounds. The band have been together for a while and some how or another had always missed them – that will not happen again. They were great.

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An astonishing set of such variety and skill. I think I counted 6 guitars on the stage and I think they were all used. Simon and Hiromi on guitars, drums and bass. The sound produced by these two was simply breathtaking. Think of Telstar (The Tornados), meeting Duanne Eddy and a huge helping of Wipe Out – Safaris. You’re not even close! but hope that gives you an idea to what you are going to listen to. Hard work and no doubt many, many long nights of practice and playing gigs have gained them a growing fanbase around the region and throughout Sussex.

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Together, Simon, Hiromi and Andrew create music that bridges the past, present, and the sci-fi future while performing it all in the now. What they give you as a result is a super sonic adventure of ambient grooves and they paint those futuristic soundscapes grounded and bound together by solid playing. You can almost feel the heat of laser beams as they whizz past your ears along with the notes played by the band. It is beautifully put together and then a slice of the John Barry theme/reprise for James Bond is thrown into the mix. I had not heard their music before – but I just sensed, before Simon played it – that Bond was coming, such is the craftsmanship they displayed.

A Video:

Check out the talent as The Space Agency take you away on an interstellar surfin’ holiday! Don’t let these guys fool you as they swap instruments and positions, no vocals, but that sound will draw you into that vortex – once heard never forgotten.

A great evening on a hot night. Two awesome bands who were absolutely delightful to meet and chat with over a cold beer outside after the gig. Well played all and also great sound at the Lewes Con Club.

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